EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC Grows Stock Holdings in Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN)

EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) by 6.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,823 shares of the business services provider’s stock after buying an additional 221 shares during the quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Global Payments were worth $428,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Global Payments during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Global Payments in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. purchased a new stake in Global Payments during the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,000. LRI Investments LLC increased its stake in Global Payments by 94.4% during the 3rd quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 517 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $53,000 after buying an additional 251 shares during the period. Finally, Manchester Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Global Payments by 177.5% during the 4th quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC now owns 469 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $53,000 after buying an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.76% of the company’s stock.

Global Payments Price Performance

Shares of NYSE GPN opened at $94.15 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.97, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The stock has a market cap of $23.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.23, a P/E/G ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 1.04. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $106.05 and a two-hundred day moving average of $108.18. Global Payments Inc. has a twelve month low of $90.99 and a twelve month high of $136.36.

Global Payments (NYSE:GPN) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The business services provider reported $2.84 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.98 by ($0.14). The business had revenue of $2.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.31 billion. Global Payments had a return on equity of 12.21% and a net margin of 15.54%. On average, research analysts forecast that Global Payments Inc. will post 11.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Global Payments Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be given a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.06%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. Global Payments’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.18%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Citigroup cut their price objective on Global Payments from $138.00 to $135.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $122.00 price target (down previously from $155.00) on shares of Global Payments in a report on Thursday, January 9th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price objective on Global Payments from $166.00 to $163.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Bank of America cut their target price on shares of Global Payments from $156.00 to $149.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 14th. Finally, Stephens cut shares of Global Payments from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and reduced their target price for the company from $125.00 to $120.00 in a report on Friday, January 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Global Payments has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $134.33.

About Global Payments

Global Payments Inc provides payment technology and software solutions for card, check, and digital-based payments in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. It operates through two segments, Merchant Solutions and Issuer Solutions. The Merchant Solutions segment offers authorization, settlement and funding, customer support, chargeback resolution, terminal rental, sales and deployment, payment security, and consolidated billing and reporting services.